IACAPAP: 2026 World Congress

by Andrea James Reviewed November 2, 2026 4 min read

The International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP) held its 2026 World Congress in Hamburg, Germany. It was notable for its high number of presentations by anti-transgender activists affiliated with hate group Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine (SEGM).

Tobias Banaschewski chaired the opening and closing ceremonies.

Paediatric gender medicine – are we any closer to consensus? (link)

Emily Simonoff (profile): Chair
Hilary Cass (profile): Keynote: Paediatric gender medicine – are we any closer to consensus?

Scientific research on gender incongruence at the interface with politics: Holding your nerve and maintaining clarity (link)

Tobias Banaschewski (profile): Chair
Emily Simonoff (profile): Scientific research on gender incongruence at the interface with politics: Holding your nerve and maintaining clarity

Gender, Identity, and Stigma in Childhood and Adolescence: Clinical, Cultural, and Conceptual Perspectives (link)

Yukiko Kano (profile): Chair
Evgenia Abbruzzese (profile): The myth of reliable research in pediatric gender medicine
Arnstein Mykletun (profile): The Norwegian gender incongruence trajectory study: A project protocol
Setenay Sarioglu (profile): Severe Self-Mutilation in an Adolescent with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Autocastration and Animal Feeding in the Context of Gender Dysphoria
Tomasz Jarczok (profile): Honest, Open, Proud (HOP) for Adolescents with Mental Illness: Results of a Randomised Controlled Trial of a Peer-Led Group Intervention targeting the Impact of Stigma

The U.S. debate on pediatric gender medicine: Evidence and ethics in the HHS review (link)

Christian Monsalve (profile) and Evgenia Abbruzzese (profile): Chairs
Evgenia Abbruzzese (profile): Why is pediatric gender medicine so difficult to robustly debate in the USA?
Yuan Zhang (profile): Reassessing evidence in pediatric gender medicine: Lessons from the HHS review
Moti Gorin (profile): Medical ethics and the U.S. Health and Human Services review of pediatric gender dysphoria
Kathleen McDeavitt (profile): Comparison of guidelines
Kristopher Kaliebe (profile): Why psychotherapy emerges as alternative for minors with gender dysphoria

Legal aspects and gender dysphoria in children and adolescents (link)

Florian Zepf (profile) and Emily Sitarski (profile): Chairs
Florian Zepf (profile): Current legal debates on Gender Dysphoria in minors: Historical contexts
Liane Wörner (profile): Gender Dysphoria in minors: Recent legal developments in Germany (1)
Alexandra Windsberger (profile): Gender Dysphoria in minors: Recent legal developments in Germany (2)
Lodewijk Smeehuijzen (profile): Reassessing pediatric gender medicine: A Dutch legal perspective
Paul Conrathe (profile): Keira Bell and beyond: UK case law on Gender Dysphoria in minors

When evidence is not sufficient: Ethical considerations in treating gender-related distress in childhood and adolescence (link)

Florian Zepf (profile): Chair
Sallie Baxendale (profile): The neuroscience of adolescent decision-making: Challenges to autonomy in the gender clinic
Moti Gorin (profile): Respect for autonomy and pediatric medical transition
Jilles Smids (profile): Can patient values and preferences justify puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones despite uncertain evidence?
Roberto D’Angelo (profile): How psychotherapy for gender dysphoria supports autonomy
Paul Garcia-Ryan (profile): Transition regret or transition grief? Towards a more nuanced understanding

Etiologies of gender-related distress in childhood and adolescence (link)

Riittakerttu Kaltiala (profile) and Beryl Koener (profile): Chairs
André Leonhardt (profile): The role of personality structure and identity integration in the clinical understanding of gender-related distress in adolescence
Stephen Levine (profile): Etiological hypotheses: A synthesis
Sarah Mittermaier (profile): The ‘assigned’ self and transition as symbols of affliction and healing in online trans communities
Florian Zepf (profile): The interplay of identity, self-interpretation, and personality
Anastassis Spiliadis (profile): Exploring clinical pathways for co-occurring restrictive eating disorders and gender-related distress in adolescence

Exceptional uncertainty in the field of pediatric gender medicine (link)

Florian Zepf (profile) and Christian Monsalve (profile): Chairs
Yuan Zhang (profile): Systematic reviews reveal very uncertain evidence on puberty blockers, hormones, and surgeries
Alison Clayton (profile): Diagnostic uncertainty in pediatric gender medicine
Hannah Ryan (profile): Adverse effects and risks of hormonal treatments in paediatric gender medicine
Anastassis Spiliadis (profile): In support of psychotherapeutic approaches as a first-line treatment for youth gender-related distress
Anna Hutchinson (profile): Unknown prognosis

Psychotherapeutic approaches to youth gender distress (link)

Stephen Levine (profile) and Céline Masson (profile): Chairs
Anastassis Spiliadis (profile): Evolution of gender care and psychosocial interventions for youth gender-related distress
Stefan De Villiers (profile): How assessments benefit gender dysphoric young people and removing them undermines ethical care
Paul Garcia-Ryan (profile): Developmental considerations in clinical work with youth experiencing gender dysphoria
Roberto D’Angelo (profile): Gender dysphoria as a manifestation of other issues
Anna Hutchinson (profile): Affirming without confirming: Making space for uncertainty in working with gender-questioning youth

Gender Dysphoria in children and adolescents: Evidence, conceptual frameworks and ethical considerations (link)

The International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (iacapap.org)

IACAPAP Congress (iacapap-congress.com)

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